


That Which Burns too Easily

by Yrindor



Series: Sports Anime Shipping Olympics 2016 Fills [10]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Inspired by UraBoku, Introspection, M/M, Prompt Fill, SASO 2016, Suicide Attempt, Violinist Akaashi Keiji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-12 21:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7123906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yrindor/pseuds/Yrindor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oikawa Tooru is beautiful.  Oikawa Tooru is fragile.  He burns bright as a flame, and like a flame, he is easily extinguished.  Akaashi will make sure his flame never goes out again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Which Burns too Easily

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sotong_sotong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sotong_sotong/gifts).



> Written for SASO 2016 Bonus Round 1 for the prompt "Remember when you caught hold of him, and thought oh, how pretty is he, but, how quick to burn too?"

_You remember the first time you saw him, don't you, Keiji? You were walking out of the schoolyard, and you heard him yelling from down the hallway. You didn't know him, but you knew of him; you always heard him yelling about something. It didn't affect you, so you tuned him out, or at least you tried to until he nearly bowled you over in his rush out the door. You almost said something then, but you didn't._

_You did watch him storm across the schoolyard though, and you kept watching as he stopped just under the rear gate. Do you remember how he looked, standing in the crisp fall light? The flat brown of his hair turned into a warm glow when the light hit it, and you felt an answering warmth in your chest._

_A leaf fell from the tree overhead, and he plucked it from the air. He glanced around him, and something told you to duck back into the shadows of the doorway. When you risked looking out again, he was staring intently at the leaf, and then, before your eyes, it burst into flame._

_You barely managed to stifle a surprised gasp as you watched, and as the flame burned higher, it seemed to ignite the fire that had been smoldering within you. "He's beautiful," you thought, "but dangerous too, like a wildfire that starts in a flash and burns until there's nothing left."_

_You didn't say anything that afternoon, waiting until he was long gone before you finally left your hiding spot. You didn't say anything the next day either, though you watched for him coming through the gate that morning. You still didn't say anything the day after that, though you did find his class and his name — Oikawa Tooru, star of the volleyball team. You didn't say anything in the following weeks, but you started finding excuses to pause outside of the gym on your way to the music rooms and listen to him practicing._

_You didn't say anything come winter either, when you noticed him start to change. It was subtle, something easily hidden behind his popular mask, but you could tell. His laughter became less and less, and he was easier to anger, storming off at the slightest provocation. When you walked by the gym, you no longer heard his playful teasing and bickering with his team; it all sounded mechanical, like someone going through the motions with no real love for it._

_But even then you said nothing. Even as his fire seemed to dim, you said nothing. After all, you thought, he doesn't know you, and you don't really know him. You're a musician, and he's an athlete. You live in two different worlds; what makes you think you know what that world is like?_

_It happened so gradually that you barely noticed it at first, but at some point, you realized that you could feel his reactions in the fire in your own chest. It wasn't just his beauty that made it burn higher, but also his anger, and sometimes you could feel his anger flare even if he was nowhere in sight._

_It wasn't until last week, when the snow had settled on the rooftops and the trees were all leafless and grey, that you finally spoke to him. You hadn't intended to, but the fire in your chest sputtered one day while you were in orchestra practice, like the dimming of a fire as it burned through the last of its kindling. You didn't stop to think, didn't even stop to excuse yourself your conductor, just sprinted out of the room and towards the rooftop, hoping you'd make it in time._

_You reached the door at the top of the stairs just in time to hear those terrible words, "Burn, Oikawa Tooru." You burst out onto the rooftop just in time to see those familiar flames close in around him._

_"Oikawa," you yelled, the first time you ever said his name in his presence. He glanced up sharply as you wrapped your arms around him, heedless of the flames. It was the first time you ever touched him, and as the flames licked at you too, all you could think was 'please don't let him burn.'_

_Later, when you lay in the hospital with your hands wrapped in bulky bandages, you wondered if perhaps, despite his short temper and his wild flames, it wasn't Oikawa but you who burned too easily. You and your fragile body — the one that may never be able to play the violin again. And yet, you would make the same choice again without hesitation._

_Sometimes, you wonder what he's thinking, don't you? He's been in your hospital room every day when he thinks you're asleep, sometimes running his thumb gently across your forehead and always leaving when he thinks you're about to wake. You wonder why he keeps coming back, and what he would say if he knew you've been faking sleep just so that he'll stay a little longer._

_Maybe tomorrow it's time to stop pretending. You've been talking to no one but yourself for too long._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Akaashi," Oikawa whispers, running a thumb over Akaashi's cheek. He doesn't expect a reply; he's never received one before, so he startles when there are suddenly clear eyes staring back at him.

"Oikawa," Akaashi replies, his voice hoarse from disuse.

Oikawa's head falls forward, his forehead pressing to Akaashi's as tears spill from his eyes. "Akaashi, I'm sorry," he says. "I'm sorry I hurt you, and I'm sorry, but I think I've fallen in love with you."

The bandages on Akaashi's arms prevent him from reaching out, pulling Oikawa close to him, and wiping away his tears. All he can do is say, "I fell in love with you a long time ago, Oikawa," and it has to be enough.

Oikawa Tooru is beautiful. Oikawa Tooru is fragile. He burns bright as a flame, and like a flame, he is easily extinguished. Akaashi will make sure his flame never goes out again.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and feedback welcome and appreciated.


End file.
